The Inside Job – Part 3

Arnab had a noticeable spring in his step as he approached the laboratory building. He was looking forward to seeing Debopriya, and hadn’t gotten any studying done all day. The truth was, he couldn’t stop thinking about her.

He entered the building and headed for the anatomy lab. Each student had a swipe card to the building, but few came this late, even with final exams approaching. The building was deserted. He was just entering the lab when he thought he heard a sound coming from just down the hallway.

He walked a few yards in that direction. “Hello? Debo?” he said. His heart was pounding and he could feel sweat slowly dripping down the small of his back—the truth was it was pretty spooky in the large empty building.

After a few more steps he saw light coming from under the door of the men’s restroom. Then he heard what sounded like someone falling to the ground. It was difficult to make out details through the closed door.

He could hear blood pounding in his ears as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. He took a minute to steel himself, and then walked through the restroom door.

He couldn’t believe his eyes. Debopriya was on the dirty, green-tiled floor, her skirt pulled up around her waist, barely conscious. A man with a beard and drooping left eyelid was kneeling over her, holding a knife to her throat.

“Oh my God,” Arnab said involuntarily.

The man turned around, saw Arnab, and stood up, revealing his huge form. He had to be at least six and a half feet tall, and 130 Kilos would have been a conservative estimate of his girth.

“Get the hell out of here or you’ll be next,” he said.

Arnab froze, white with fear. He turned to run from the bathroom, to go for help.

But he just stood there, unable to move. He knew he would never see Debopriya again if he went out that door.

Then, an idea occurred to him.

Arnab turned back to face the stranger. “Leave her alone,” he said.

The man laughed a loud, cackling laugh, and turned his full attention to Arnab. “I’m going to carve you up into little tiny pieces,” he said, his wide grin revealing rotting teeth.

Arnab knew his life would be over if his plan didn’t work. He looked the man directly in the eyes, and tried to concentrate as hard as he could. He pictured the man’s middle cerebral artery, directly where it joined the Circle of Willis at the base of the brain. He tried to focus, visualizing it as clearly as he could, the blood flowing through the vessels, pulsating with each heartbeat. Then he imagined a little twist, just enough pressure to rupture the fragile tube.

The stranger with the droopy eyelid had started moving toward him, raising the knife high over his head, ready to strike.

Suddenly, he grabbed his head and screamed in pain, falling to the ground. He lost consciousness, and within five minutes he had stopped breathing.

Arnab went over to Debopriya and shook her firmly.

“Debo! Debo! Are you okay?”

“Arnab?” she replied. “What happened?”

“It’s a very long story,” he replied, returning her smile, “But you’re safe now.”